In high speed computers, a complex mix of connectors and interconnections typically can be found. These include conventional wires, printed wiring, back panel wiring and interconnecting cables. Among the various types of interconnect cables that have been employed is twisted pair cable which includes a pair of insulated wires that are twisted together along their coextending lengths. The twisted pair along with a drain wire may be surrounded by a cable shield enclosed within an outer cable jacket or sheath to form what is herein referred to as discrete shielded twisted pair cable. It also has been common for multiple twisted pairs to be bundled together and surrounded by a common shield and jacket to form what is herein referred to as round shielded multiple twisted pair cable. This latter type of cable may include within the bundle one or more separately shielded twisted pairs including respective drain wires. Another conventional practice is to arrange the twisted pairs in side-by-side relationship and bond them to a suitable substrate to form what is herein referred to as twisted pair ribbon cable. Preferably the twists are interrupted every few feet and the wires laid parallel to facilitate termination. Also, such cable has been provided with a wraparound shield to minimize cable-to-cable crosstalk, to help protect the signals carried by the wires from other electromagnetic interference (EMI) sources and to reduce the amount of energy radiated from the cable. These functions also are performed by the shielding in the other above discussed types of twisted pair cable.
Along with the various types of interconnect cables, various types of cable terminations have been used to terminate the cables for connection to other electrical devices such as headers, pin fields and other electrical connectors. These cable terminations typically include electrical contacts that are electrically connected to respective conductors of the cable and supported in a housing in a desired pattern for connecting with another electrical device. The housing usually performs a strain relief function vis-a-vis the cable conductors and contacts, and together the housing, contacts and cable form what is herein referred to as a cable termination assembly.
Examples of prior cable termination assemblies for electrical cables having signal conductors and ground (isolation) conductors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,094,564, 4,310,208, and 4,596,428. In the latter patent, a contact carrier has a crenellated surface which not only functions to separate the contacts but also to separate relatively adjacent signal conductors while displacing ground (isolation) conductors for soldered attachment to a ground bus. The contact carrier forms a part of the termination housing, and a strain relief body is molded about the carrier, contacts and conductors to form a unified structure therewith.
Generally, it is desired that a cable termination and/or cable termination assembly be constructed to minimize losses or irregularities in the signals being transmitted therethrough while also providing for detachable connection to other electrical equipment, such as to an electrical connector mounted to a printed circuit board. The construction of the cable termination and/or cable termination assembly must be concerned with electrical performance characteristics and the maintenance of these characteristics from device to device in a reliable manner. In this latter regard, it is important properly to maintain the relative positions of the individual components of the cable terminations and cable termination assemblies both during manufacture and during use. Other concerns include effective strain relief for the cables within and where they exit the termination, the minimization of the number of component parts required for assembly of the termination, and the provision of electrical connections of high integrity.